Starting device for explosive-engines.



E. V. SWBRN.

STARTING DEVICE FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

APPLIUATION FILED MAB. 1, 1911.

1,026,374. Patented May14,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

1:. V. SWBRN.

STARTING'DBVIGE FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

APPLIOATION FILED 1113.1, 1911.

1 ,026,374. Patented May 14, 1912.

2 SHBETB--BHEET 2.

1121711155555.- 5 JNVENTOR. j//w ,5. l/. @wer/7 A 7 role/v51.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE.

ERNEST V. SWERN, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIG-NOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO JOHN H. EAST, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

STARTING DEVICE FOR EXPLOSIVE-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1912.

To all whom t may concern.'

`Be it known that I, ERNEST V. SWERN, a citizen ofthe United States of America, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver land'V State of Colorado, have invented cerv tary plan view of the chassis .of an automorbile with the starting device in its operative position, Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same, Figs. 3 and4, sectional views of the clutch element comprised in the invention, Fig. 5, a side elevation of the operating element of the device, and Fig. 6, a sectional plan view' ofl the same.

My improved starting apparatus com-- prises two elements one of which, designated `in the drawings by the letter A, is installed at the front-end of the car 3, in operatlve element, to a rotatory member of the othery element, which is ldesigned to interlock with the crank shaft and to impart a rotary ovement thereto., The last mentioned ele- ;ment, which is best shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, comprises a sleeve 7 which longitudinally movably surrounds the reduced end-portion 8 of the shaft 4 which in its end face, or the shoulder at the point where ,the said end portion begins, has a plurality of circularly arranged beveled notches 9 to receive the correspondingly` formed teeth at the end of a clutch-member which is rotatably mounted upon the sleeve 7. l

A bracket 10 secured at theforward end of the automobile, has at its lower extremity,

a collar which occupies a circumferential groove 12 at the forward end of the sleeve 7, and-inasmuch as the width of this groove exceeds that of the collar onthe bracket 10, a limited longitudinal forward movement of the sleeve 7 and an adjacent surface of the crank-shaft is permitted, which movement, however, is resiliently opposed by a coiled spring 13 which surrounds the member 8 of the shaft, in engagement with the end of the` sleeve 7 and an adjacent surface of the part of the automobile through which the said member projects.

The extremity of the member 8, projecting beyond the forward end of the car, is squaredl for the application of a crank when it is desired to set the engine in motion by the method at present commonly employed.

The clutch member above referred to consists of a sheave 14 the hub 15 of which extending at opposite sides thereof, has at its end opposite to the shoulder on the shaft 4, a plurality of teeth 16 which in number and form correspond with the beveled notches 9 in the shaft. The portion of, the hub at the opposite side of the sheave has two diametrically opposite bores which are normally occupied by plugs 17, and which are provided for the introduction of balls 18 into spiral rooves 19 cut in the circumferential sur ace of the sleeve 7.

When by actuation of the operating element B, the construction of Whlch will hereinafter be described, the, sheave 14 is ro- .tated, t-he balls 18 traveling in the grooves 19 of the sleeve 7, which is being held against rotation by contact-with the bracket 10, will cause the sheave to advance in `the direction of the shoulder on the shaft 4 until the teeth 16 are brought in engagement with .the corresponding notches 9, when the continued rotary motion of t e sheave is communicated to the shaft to set the motor with which it is associated, in action. Should this result be accomplished before the driver has ceased to`actuate the. operatingelement B, the spring 13 will permit a reciprocating movement of the member to allow the teeth 16 to slip out of the not-ches, until the parts have reassumed their normal position.-

The operating element B which, as stated hereinbefore, is installed in proximity to the drivers seat of the vehicle, comprises an internally toothed segment 20 which is ro- *tatably mounted upon a flanged stud 21- being' endless, runsv over thev respective sheaves and which by A'means of two guidesheaves 26, rotatably mounted at the forward end of the chassis, is led in two directions, at right angles to each other.

A lever`27 which at onej of its ends, is

loosely` mounted upon the stud 21carries a pawl 28 which, by means of a spring 29, is heldl in' constant engagementwith the peripheral surface ofthe segment 2O and which is adapted to interlock with a detent 30 yformed upon the peripheral surface of the segment, when the lever is moved about its axis of rotation, toward the highest point of the se ent, at which the said detent is rlocated w en the parts areintheir normal position of rest..` An operating link 31 pivotally connected with the free-end of thel lever 27 extends through an opening in the floor 32 of the car body, to be within reach of the driver, and it has, at its upper extremity, a stop 21a which by engagement with the said floor, limits the downward ,movement of the lever 27.- A spring 33 attached at its opposite ends, to thesegment and to a convenientlyv located part'- of the car-body serves yto maintain the former in its normal position as illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings, and a stop 34 which extends upwardly from'oneg of the links 25, has its beveled end 'disposed in the path of the pawl 28, to disengagey it from the detent when the lever 27 has reached the end of its downward movement. f As the operation of my invention has been referred to at intervals, in the course of the foregoing description, it will only be necessary 'to ldescribe it brieiy at this point. When the driverof an automobile equipped with my improved apparatus, desires to set the enginein motion, he pulls with the toe of the link-31 \towa'rd himl until the his shoe, pawl 28 on the leverl 27 is interlocked with thedetent30 on' the segment .20.v He then, pushes the lever downwardly with the foot, to rotate the segment about.` the stud` 21, which rotary movement is, through the in- 'lst'rumentality of the pinion 23, communicated tothe sheave-24 and, by means of the flexible connection 6, to the sheave member 14 on the clutch element A,iwhich, in cone sequence, moved to interlock with the crankshaft 4 and subsequently impart` a rotary motion to the same., When the lever 27 has reached the end of its downward movement, and the pawl has engaged the beveled end of the stop 34,`the detent 30 is released and the segment 2O is returned to its original posit-ion by the action of the spring 33. i l

Forl clearness in illustration, the lever 27 has been shown in Fig.` 5, in a position above that which it occupies when t-he parts are in their normal position and I wish it un- ,ed .uponl the said end. portion, the said member and the shoulderon the shaft at the beginning of its reduced portion, having coperative interlocking means, and means for converting a rotary movement of the.

said member into a simultaneous movement of the same toward the said shoulder, wherejection within the said groove whereby a rotary movement of the said member is converted into a simultaneous longitudinal movement of the same with relation to the said sleeve, the said member and the said shaft having opposite, normally separated, coperative interlocking means.

3. A starting device for explosive engines, comprising in combination with an engine shaft, a sleeve mounted in axial alinement therewith, and havin an external spiral groove, a clutch-mem er loosely mounted upon the said sleeve and having a proj eotion within the said groove, whereby a rotary movement of the said member is converted into a simultaneous longitudinal -lmovement ofthe same in one direction with relation tothe said sleeve, and a spring between the said sleeve and a relatively stationary surf face to resiliently oppose its movement with the said member in the-*opposite direction,

lthe said member and the said shaft having opposite, normally separated, coperative interlocking means.

4. A starting devicefor explosive engines,

comprising in combination with an engine 'derstood that .while Ihave shown and de-y v lio shaft, a sleeve mounted in axial alinement therewith and having an external spiral groove, a clutch member. loosely mounted upon the said sleeve, and a ball carried on the said member, within the said groove, whereby a rotary movement of the said member is converted into simultaneous longitudinal motion of the same with relation to the said sleeve, the said member and the said shaft having opposite, normally separated interlocking means.

5. A starting device for explosive engines comprising in combinationwith an engine shaft having an end portion of reduced diameter, a sleeve mounted upon the said end portion andV having an external, spiral gr0ove,-`and a clutch member loosely mounted upon the said sleeve and having a proj ection within the said groove, whereby a rotary movement of the said member 1s converted into asimultaneous longitudinal movement of the same with relation to the sleeve, the said member and the' shoulder on the shaft surrounding its reduced portion having normally separated, coperative interlocking means. V I

6. A starting device for explosive engines comprising in-combination with an? engine' shaft having an end portion of reduced diameter, a sleeve mounted upon the said end portion and having an external," spiral groove, and a clutch-member loosely mounted upon the said sleeve and having a projection within the said groove, wherebya,

Irotary movement of the said member is converted into a simultaneous longitudinal movement of the same with relation to the sleeve, the said. member and the yshoulder on the shaft surrounding its reduced portion, havin normally separated, coperative interlocing means, and a s ring `surrounding the endportion ofthe sha t between -the said 4 'sleeveand-a relatively stationary surface.

. ment remote from the said s .Sha labout and along anaxis alined 4with that ofthe shaft, the said member and the saidv 7 A starting device for explosive engines com rising in combination with the engineshatlt, a clutch-member mounted to move about and along an axis alined with that of the shaft, the said member and the said shaft having opposite4 normally separated, coperative interlocking means, .means for converting a rotary movement-of the said member into-a simultaneous displacement of the same in. the direction of its axis whereby the said interlocking means are brought into operative engagement, an operating eleaft, and a transmission elementfor converting a movement of the said o erating element into a rotary movement o thesaid clutch member. 8. A starting device for ex losive engines comtprising irl/combination with the enginet, a clutch-member mounted to move shaft having opposite, normally separated,

coperative interlocking means, means forconverting a rotary movement'of the said member into a simultaneous displacement of thesame in the direction of its axis whereby the said interlocking means arc brought into operativeA engagement, a rotary gear, means for transmitting the movement of the said gear to the said clutch-member,V a rotary segment in operative engagement with said gear, and a means for moving said segment about its axis of rotation.

9. A starting device for explosive engines comprising in'combination wlth the enginef shaft, a clutch-member mounted to move about and along an axis alined with that of thershat, the said member and the said shaft having opposite normallyfseparated,

cooperative interlocking means, means'forl converting a rotary movement of the said segment in its normal position, and means for moving said segment against the action of the said spring.

10. A starting device for explosive engi'nes comprising in combination with the engine-shaft, a clutch member mounted to move about and along an axis alined with that of the shaft, the said member andthe said shaft having opposite,- normally separated, coperative interlocking means, means for converting a rotary movement of the said member into a simultaneous displacementrof thesar'ne in the direction of itsaxis whereby the said .interlocking means arel 4broughtinto operative engagement, a rotary gear, means for transmitting the movement of the' said gear to the said clutch-member, a rotary segment in operative engagement with said gear, a lever independently movable about an axis coincident with that of the se ent, a pawl on the said lever adapted to interlock with a detent on the segment, means for disconnecting the'pawl from the said detent, and a means 'to lyieldingl o pose the movement of the segment wlth tiie said lever.

1'1. A startingdevice for, explosive enf gines comprisingin combination with the engine-shaft, a clutch..member"m'ounted to move about and along an4 axis alined with that of the shaft, the said member and the said shaft having opposite normally separated, coperative interlocking means, means for convertin la rotary movement of the said membermto a simultaneous displacement of the same in the direction of its .axis whereby the said interlocking means are brought into operative engagement, a rotary gear, means for transmitting the movement,

`of the said gear to the said clutch-member, a

'rotary' segment in operative engagement with said gear, a lever independentlyl movable about 'an axis coincident with that of the segment, eoperatv-e means on the said leversand the segment to automatically conneet one with the other ata determinate pointin the movement of'the lever, means for breaking said connectiony at another deengmeshaft, afclutch membermounted to` 'move abput and along an axis alinedwith vthat ofthe shaft,'and including a sheave,

simultaneous' movement of the saidjmember Y along its axis whereby' thesaid interlocking means are broughtinoperative engagement, a rotary sheave remote from thesaid shaft, means forl rotating the last mentioned slieave and av rope for transmitting 'the movement of the same tothatonthe clutchmember. f

In testimony whereof nI have affxed my signature'in presence of two Witnesses; ERNEST V. SWERN.

Witnesses :f 4

L. RHOADES, v G. J. ROLLANDET. 

